A Valid Excuse
by nightwyver
Summary: John Reese has figured out the perfect plan to get around one of Samaritan's roadblocks. It was all too simple really...
1. Chapter 1

A Valid Excuse

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even the flowers John was looking up they can be found at Telaflora under flowers for him.

"Hey wonder boy, what are lookin' at?"

John ignored Fusco as he clicked between the two images indecisively. He felt his 'partner' lean over the back of his chair to stare at the screen. It didn't matter. He narrowed it down to peaceful zen garden, fantasy found, and grand gesture.

"Flowers?" Fusco asked surprised.

"They are a traditional romantic gesture Lionel." John said dryly as he 'X-ed' out fantasy found. It wouldn't do for what he needed it to.

"Who are you tryin' to romance?" Fusco pressed.

"Is it any of your business Lionel?"

John quickly minimized the order form for the flower shop when he saw Dr. Campbell walk determinedly towards him. The pretty shrink had been pestering him lately to have more sessions with her. He knew the woman was attracted to him and he had no problem using it to get the all clear he needed to get back to work, but now he had her dogging his heels to get back on her couch so she could crack open his skull and 'fix' him.

"Personally, I think you should go with the lilies." Fusco offered then took off away from the area. Fusco's love of head doctors was about equal to his own.

"Detective Riley" Dr. Campbell said professionally if somewhat breathlessly "I was hoping I could convince you to schedule a few more sessions with me. I still think there is a lot of things you need to work out. Preferably in a safe and non-violent method."

"I'm sure I do. I'll consider it Doctor." John told her smiling insincerely from his chair.

"That all I ask for Detective." Dr. Campbell said with her own smile and left to track down her other lost souls.

He actually would consider it if his plan actually worked. His current cover could use it. He misjudged the permanence when he became Detective Riley and now was paying for it. He thought like so many of his other covers, this one would only be temporary and then he could shed it. Now playing fast and loose in the beginning was coming back to bite him in the ass. But that was the secondary problem and easily fixed by playing the good boy and working the precinct. His primary problem was still unresolved.

Fortunately, He had a plan for that and Fusco was right, the grand gesture bouquet was perfect.

(._.)

"I have a Delivery for Professor Whistler."

Harold paused in the middle of his lecture as the courier waited just inside his classroom. His lackluster students suddenly taking an interest in their surroundings at the intrusion.

"I'm Professor Whistler." Harold stated "But I didn't order anything."

"I should hope not." The bored young man said as he moved to his desk and sat down a rather long box.

The courier unlatched the bottom and lifted the box up to reveal a bouquet. It was simple and elegant with two white calla lilies in a bed of foliage placed in a small bamboo box. It was understated yet very beautiful. He had no idea who they could be from. Root perhaps?

"Awwww!" his entire group of female students cooed in unison.

"What does the card say Professor?" one of them asked pointing at the small envelope pinned near the bottom. Harold plucked it and read it silently.

'Thank you for giving me a chance yesterday. Coffee tomorrow? John Riley'

Harold blushed and quickly pocketed the card. What game was John playing now?

"Well? What did it say?" the same girl asked smirking a bit.

"None of your business. Now, where were we?"

(*u*)

Later that night John walked calmly into the subway base with a bag of take out that he knew Harold favored. The plan was already in motion but he needed Harold on board with it in order for it to work. It was such a simple plan really. A way to keep Harold close in public as well as in hiding.

Harold was in his usual place in front of the batch of monitors and Bear was asleep in his custom bed Shaw found for him somewhere. John smiled to himself as he spied the bouquet sitting on the table nearby. They really were perfect for the stuffy yet eloquent man. Although maybe they were a bit too much to give before he explained his idea.

"I bought dinner." John said as he came up to his friend.

"You bought more than that Mr. Reese." Harold sniffed.

"Will you hear me out before you completely shut me down?" John asked shaking the bag slightly. Harold sighed before getting painfully up and leading them to the small 'dining' area. John followed behind and set out the various containers for him and Harold to share.

They ate mostly in silence keeping to small talk and feeding Bear scraps as he woke up to the sound of lids being popped open. John fully intended Harold to start the important conversation.

"Why did you do it Mr. Reese?" Harold finally asked.

John pushed the food away and sat back.

"You told me in the beginning that with these new identities we had to be careful not to rupture them. That we had to fully embrace them. I did that but I didn't understand that these covers were meant to be permanent. That Detective Riley and Professor Whistler couldn't have a connection out in the world."

John paused to catch Harold's eyes.

"I can't handle that Harold. You are more than my boss. More than my coworker. More than my friend. You are my connection to this world and I need that."

"We have that John! Right here working the numbers like you wanted. Fighting against Samaritan. Just because it's not out there doesn't mean it doesn't exist!"

"That's not good enough!" John almost snarled.

"John…"

"Look, I've actually thought about this long and hard. There IS a way for Riley and Whistler to interact without drawing Samaritan's eye."

"What's that John?"

"We start dating."

Harold started at him for a moment in disbelief then got up and limped over to his desk chair. John followed him and snagged another chair to sit at his side. Harold was staring thoughtfully at the flowers he had bought earlier.

"We need an excuse to see each other socially. This is a valid one. Samaritan isn't going to care about two middle-aged men dating each other in New York City. I may take some heat as a supposedly gay cop but it won't be anything I can't handle and the school has a strict non-discrimination policy with precedent."

"But you're not gay are you." Harold stated turning to face him.

"No I'm not but it wouldn't be the first time I've played one for a job and this is so much more than any job I've done in the past. This is keeping you close and safe. This is keeping our partnership alive." John was all but pleading at this point.

"What if one of our covers is blown?" Harold asked.

"If that happens to one of us chances are it'll happen to both of us."

John knew that if his cover shattered he would either die or just go to ground. He did it before, he could do it again. If Harold lost his cover then John's wouldn't matter as he would burn the world to protect his friend. Harold was his friend, he loved and trusted him as much as he was able to and he already proved just how far he was willing to go for Harold.

"Let me think on it John, please." Harold finally said after a long moment of silence.

"Alright Harold. Good night." John said and left the subway for his apartment.

(^-^)

The next morning Detective John Riley strolled into the precinct ignoring the whispers going on around him. He turned the corner and sitting on his desk were two dozen yellow and red roses with bright yellow orchids circling them in a glass vase. John smiled and plucked the card from its holder.

'Sorry I missed coffee. How about dinner?' Harold Whistler

"Those are…lovely. Who are they from?" Dr. Campbell asked coming up behind him.

"Do you promise to keep it a secret?" John asked

"Of course." She said smiling up at him.

John grinned widely at her "They're from my boyfriend."


	2. Dinner and Movie

Movies:

Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing.

..

"How about this one?" John asked pointing to the screen "Pépé le Moko at the old revival theater, it says here that it influenced the making of Casablanca. And…it has subtitles."

Harold looked over his shoulder in clear interest. Finding a good date-like activity without actually dating was a lot harder than John had anticipated. They needed it to look good, look real but at the same time John didn't want to make Harold uncomfortable. This whole situation was hard enough on his friend as it was.

"Hm, I thought you didn't like movies with subtitles?" Harold asked still leaning against the back of John's chair.

"It's not that I don't like them, I just like complaining about them."

"How about this then?" Harold reached over and started typing one the keyboard. John quickly regulated his breathing at the feel of the other man's arms around him.

"Why don't we see The Third Man? It's also playing at the theater. No subtitles and you can complain about all the fake Hollywood spy craft." Harold asked.

John read the synopsis as Harold leaned back to rest his hands on John's shoulders. They agreed to try and become more casually physical with each other. He silently promised himself to let Harold lead when it came to how much they would touch. The recluse had far less experience when it came to this sort of subterfuge than John and he didn't want to push beyond his comfort levels. It surprised John a bit just how touchy Harold became once they made their decision. The man was clearly touch-starved and once John figured that out, he never once thought to deny his friend any contact.

"You sure?" John asked. "You know I don't really mind the subtitles."

Harold seemed indecisive for all of five seconds before nodding slightly "I'm sure."

"Alright then!" John smiled and clicked the buy tickets button before Harold could offer to pay.

"Mr. Reese! I…"

"Too late."

Harold whined in distress and shuffled off to his computer. John smiled after him as he watched Harold have his snit. Harold was having a harder time dealing with the loss of his fortune than John thinks he intended. He knew that in years prior to Samaritan Harold took a lot of pride in providing anything and everything that John could possible need and when he knew the funds were near limitless he had no problem taking advantage of the man's generosity. Even building several stash kits out of the slush funds Harold had set up for him. They were still scattered all over the state in case they ever had to run.

"I can still afford movie tickets Mr. Reese." Harold huffed.

"I know you can Harold but with my salary so can I." John told him coming up behind him to lean over the recluse "So shut up and let me pay for once."

"I will pay for dinner." Harold grumbled, his pride stinging.

"Of course." John yielded easily.

He'd honestly expected more of a fight from his friend. John knew that the Machine had set up a nine-million-dollar stipend for Harold's cover as well as a salary for him that touched the upper reaches of what a homicide detective made. It was also easy for John to add stealing money as well as guns from the various criminals the Machine set him on. They weren't hurting for money but Harold resented not being able to pay for everything anymore. He had started picking fights with John over buying just about every little thing.

Only with John though. He didn't seem to have the same problem with Shaw even though her day job was far below either of theirs, and Root had always taken care of herself and them more than once lately.

"How does Moroccan sound?"

(~o~)

The restaurant, in Harold's opinion, deserved the high reviews it was given. It also wasn't the type a place Harold used to eat at. He preferred either small diners or five star restaurants so the moderately priced family own eatery was somewhat an experience.

John seemed to enjoy it though. Harold smiled and watched John enjoy his Mrouzia, his own couscous mostly gone.

John's plan to date, or rather have their new identities date, was far simpler than Harold thought it would be. Everything they've done so far were things they used to do before…minus the flowers. Which were sitting in Professor Whistler's office. They still ate in public together, they walked Bear together, they did things together. It was almost the same, yet it was so different. John stood just a little closer to him when they walked, he would lean forward just a little bit more when they ate together, he smiled at him more.

It was all just the smallest of things but when they added up it all but screamed someone falling in love. Harold had to give it to him, John truly knew his craft and worked it well when he wanted to.

A soft touch on his hand startled Harold out of his musing.

"There you are." John said smiling softly at him "I asked if we were having dessert here or after the movie."

"Oh!...uh…after, if it's alright with you." Harold stuttered out.

"That's perfectly fine Harold." John said still holding Harold's hand.

Harold couldn't stop his blush as their server came over to check on them at that moment. It had been a very long time since he'd been involved in any kind display of affection.

"Is there anything I can get for you gentlemen?" she asked with a slight moue of disappointment as she had been trying to flirt with John all evening.

"Just the check please, thank you." Harold told her gripping John's hand a little tighter making it obvious that John was his.

John was grinning out-right as the girl flounced off.

"I would make some comment about assuring your lack of competition if I didn't already know of your habits of marking your territory." John said.

"I don't know what you're talking about detective." Harold snipped.

"Don't be coy Harold. You and I both know that there isn't any part of me that you haven't claimed ownership of, and let any possible pursuer know it as well."

"John I'm sorry if I came off too controlling. I just…I…"

"You misunderstand me, or maybe I'm not saying it right." John paused searching for the words "From the moment I enlisted, I've had one master after another truly trying to control me. Telling me what to do, what words to say, even what I was allowed to think. Nothing was my own, not my body nor my mind. It was fine, I was used to it. And you saw the aftermath of what I was like when cut completely loose." John gave a depreciating smile at that.

"Then you came along with your fancy car and bespoke suit and zip ties." Harold couldn't stop the blush at that reminder "And I thought here was someone else that wanted me to kneel at their feet and use me to their own ends. I was prepared for that. I was prepared to accept a new leash if only to save myself from drowning and I would have done anything you told me to, sacrifice what little I had left in order to survive. Instead, you gave me everything."

The raw emotion John was displaying was painful for Harold to witness.

"Instead of tying me down and choking me on that leash you let me run the numbers however I wanted and trusted me when no one trusted me. You kept me safe and out of the cold even if I didn't need it."

"You deserved even better." Harold interrupted.

"The point that I'm badly making is that when you picked me, I was prepared to die your slave, instead you gave me more freedom than I've ever experienced. Any binds that tie us together now are of our own making and you need to understand that I will do anything to protect them."

"John…" Harold whispered.

Harold often heard John mention to others of being found, taken care of, saved. He'd even thanked Harold on more than one occasion for giving him a job. But it never truly dawned on him just what exactly he meant to his friend. John never spoke of what happened to him before he came to Harold, never talked about what they made him do or what they did to him. The files he'd read were too cold and calculated to reveal and suffering John must have endured at their hands.

To think that John took his offer thinking he would do the same things or worse horrified him. He knew from an outsider's perspective his care of John appeared more of ownership, Miss Groves often alluded to that as did Elias. John never seemed to pay any attention to it so Harold left it alone. He wondered now if he made a mistake in his silence. He would have to make sure to have words with Miss Groves next time she said something.

Harold watched as John pulled himself together again and promised to himself that John would never again be forced to make those kind of sacrifices ever again. He would protect this man with everything he had.

(^.^)

The theater was within easy walking distance from the restaurant and it was a nice evening with a soft breeze. John inhaled the fresh air as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. He could have kicked himself for his outburst in there. It was neither the time nor place and he never wanted to burden his friend with that weight. Harold was the only pure thing left in his life and he never wanted to do anything to tarnish that. He didn't understand why he said it, why the word kept coming out of him.

John startled slightly as he felt a hand go around his left arm. He looked down to see Harold hanging onto him smiling softly. John couldn't stop himself from smiling down at this wonderful man.

"Well Mr. Riley, shall we go?" Harold asked.

"Yes Harold Whistler, I believe we shall." John answered.

John started walking with the only person in the world he wanted walking with him. This was going to work and he would keep Harold safe and near. He could do this. He could do anything. For Harold, he would.

They walked to the theater in comfortable silence with each other. They both silently decided to keep the rest of the evening light to balance the heavy atmosphere from dinner. There wasn't a huge crowd when they arrived but it wasn't empty either. John carefully led them to the ticket booth making sure no one could bump Harold and hurt him.

"Detective Riley?"

John spun around and of all people, Captain Moreno was standing behind them.

"Captain, I'm surprised to see you here." John said as calmly as he could while guiding Harold out of the traffic flow.

"I could say the same thing." Moreno countered eyeing Harold.

John bit back a curse. He was not ready to mix Harold with his police work. But it was too late, he would just have to deal with it should there be negative fallout. He knew Lionel would have his back if push came to shove. He could handle any harassment that came his way.

"Harold, please meet Captain Moreno from work. Captain this is Professor Harold Whistler my…boyfriend."

"A pleasure to meet you. John has spoken quite fondly of you." Harold said charmingly offering his hand to shake. John studied Moreno's reaction carefully. He could tell she was quite shocked though she hid it well.

"I'm afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage then." Moreno said, but she firmly shook Harold's hand regardless.

"An unfortunate necessity even in these days I'm afraid. I'm sure you understand why."

"Well, we should be going. Our movie is about to start." John interrupted before Harold truly got started.

"Yes you're right." Harold said, then to her "Enjoy your movie."

With that Harold walked off to their screen.

"I'll see you tomorrow Captain."

"He seems like an interesting man." She said.

"More than you know." John smirked then followed after his friend.

John near the back and one seat in from the aisle. It was their usual arrangement. He watched as Moreno settled in near the middle with her date who had been off buying snacks when they ran into each other. John settled in to the aisle seat and immediately wrapped his arm around the back of Harold's chair.

"Traditionally you're supposed to yawn and subtlety do that midway through the film." Harold stated even as he leaned into him.

"We are neither of us teenagers and I'd like to think I had better moves than that." John snarked as the lights dimmed.


	3. Care

Care:

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

Authors note: So no outings in this one. I had one planned actually but we kind of hit a detour, but it does sort of lead up to the next event planned. I'm still on the lookout for any good date ideas for our two clueless boys to go on.

Harold limped painfully into their hidden subway base. The stairs down being the final nail in his coffin for the day. All he wanted now was a hot cup of tea and his warm bed, neither of which he would receive any time soon. The numbers always came first.

One of the worst parts about his cover was the long hours standing at a podium. Sitting down was fine and walking allowed for easy movement at worked his muscles without undue strain. Just standing still without moving was hell on his aching body.

He supposed it might have been tolerable if he had even a few students that were genuinely interested in the subject however that didn't appear to be the case. On top of that, the head of the department apparently took great joy in cutting him off any way he could. Harold didn't quite understand what he (or the Machine) did to piss the man off when setting up this identity, but he was suffering for it now.

Why couldn't the Machine give him a cover as a librarian?

John was already down below playing fetch with the very eager Bear in the open space that allowed it. Thanks to his and John's new 'jobs' the poor dog didn't set out as much as he used to. They still took him out on walks and Shaw helped herself to him every second she could but it wasn't really enough for the normally very active canine.

"We really need to do something about Bear." Harold said as he approached John trying to hide his increased limp "It isn't healthy for him to be cooped up like this."

"Couldn't agree more." John stated in that dry way of his.

Harold could literally feel John's gaze go over him with laser-like focus as he walked past him to his station. Bear immediately taking his place at his side. There really was no use in trying to hide the signs of his additional suffering from his observant friend. John simply knew him too well at this point in their lives.

"Why aren't you taking him with you to class?" John asked casually as he wandered into Miss Shaw's domain. She had an entire car dedicated to her weapons and medical supplies.

"Because, as the head of my department so helpfully pointed out on my first day, there is a precedent of not allowing dogs on campus." The sarcasm dripping off his tongue.

"Interesting." John said blandly.

It usually meant trouble in the form of high explosives when John used that particular tone, but right now John could bomb the whole school and Harold wouldn't care…provided it was after hours of course.

John came back and handed him a bottle of water. Harold took it reluctantly then glared balefully up at him as he held out two pills for him to take. He recognized them immediately, they were only to be used in emergencies. He hated the heavy narcotic almost more than he hated the pain he'd grown accustomed to. However, John wasn't taking no for an answer. John never took no for an answer in these situations that were becoming distressingly familiar.

"It doesn't do you any good in a bottle Harold." John said mildly "I checked and we have no numbers and no place we need to go. It's pointless to suffer needlessly."

Harold accepted the dilaudid but didn't take them yet. Once he did he would be completely useless in a matter of minutes. He didn't handle vulnerability well. He had planned on waiting until he was safe in the isolation of his little apartment that belonged to Whistler. Too many people had access here to rest safely.

"I'll be right here Harold; you'll be perfectly safe." John assured, reading his mind…again.

Since John wasn't willing to back down and his body was screaming for the promised relief, Harold yielded gracelessly to the pressure and swallowed the pills dry before drinking the entire water bottle. He noticed some of the tension John always carried dispersed the moment he did so. It saddened him that his pain was causing John so much stress. It was an enemy John couldn't fight and he didn't handle those well.

John wasn't much of a mother hen (he didn't have the instincts for it), but he could be very protective of those he cared about and Harold noticed that mostly it revolved around him. Harold didn't deny how pleased he was by that. To have earned the loyalty of such a man was a near impossible task. One Harold never took for granted.

"I have about half an hour left to work." Harold said primly as he started typing away "If that."

"I understand Harold." John said sitting down nearby to clean his gun with Harold in his line of sight.

Harold knew John's circle was incredibly small. He looked after Detective Fusco to a point and somewhat reluctantly helped Leon when he found trouble. John's friendship with Miss Shaw surprised Harold at first. From the beginning John treated the former ISA agent almost like a little sister. Part protector, part instructor, and part just going out and having explosive fun together. They were so strikingly similar that Harold often had a difficult time not comparing them to each other much to John's amusement and Miss Shaw's disgust.

The only member not in John's circle was Miss Groves. Harold didn't necessarily blame John for it after all Miss Groves did to them when they first met her. Still, John tolerated her for the most part. John once told him that he didn't need to like or trust someone to work well with them, and that held most true with the hacker. John will work with her during this crisis but Harold was under no illusion that the second Miss Groves became truly expendable John would cut her out of their lives, with a bullet if he had to.

The codes that Harold was working on started to make less sense the further he went. The numbers kept jumping around on him instead of staying where he wanted them to. At this rate he would need to completely debug the system and nail them in their spot. Nathen needed these figures by Tuesday.

"Come on, let's get you laying down." A voice cut through his musings.

Harold started slightly. He blinked down at the small clock at the corner of the monitor and slowly realized he'd been staring blankly at the screen for the last twenty minutes. A blink added two more. Another transported him from his computer to the small cot. He felt strong arms wrap around him and carefully pull him out of his chair.

"Wha'?" Harold asked dazedly.

The strong arms seemed to magically melt his outer clothing away as he drifted onto the cot. Settling him down. When he came to, he would remember how much he hated this feeling but right now all he could do was ride it out and let it soothe everything away. He whined softly at the chill until a warm blanket covered him and a wonderful heat pressed against his sore hip and back.

Finally, for the first time in a long time he was safe, relaxed, and pain free.

^(*.*)^

John sat patiently next to the cot in Harold's chair reading one of the books laying around. Bear was laying as close to Harold as he could without jumping onto the cot with him. Harold was still somewhat awake but he was completely out of it. He didn't even last fifteen minutes after taking those pills. It was a bit of a handful getting him comfortable and settled down. Harold would be quite happy that there were no cameras in their little hideaway.

"Don't let Shaw feed Bear the bomb." Harold mumbled.

"Alright."

It was always like this when Harold was on Dilaudid. Constantly spouting off nonsense. It reminded him a little of that time he was spiked with ecstasy, only without being hyper. It was endearing, but he understood why Harold didn't want anyone to see him like that. Harold valued not only his privacy, but also his appearance. Being seen out of control like that was hell on his friend. He had to promise Harold that he had threatened Fusco with a slow and painful death if he ever breathed a word to anyone about that little episode. Then he went ahead and threatened Fusco.

The hot water bottle fell away as Harold shifted around as he slowly relaxed. John carefully put it back where it could help the most. He hated to see his friend like this but it was becoming an all too familiar sight these days. The changes they were forced to accept were far harder on the recluse than they were on any of them. Even Shaw was settling down now that she had her side job as a getaway driver.

"No I need EXTRA mustard!" Harold shouted while waving his hand and accidentally smacking Bear.

"Whatever you say." John said as the poor dog curled up between his legs in confusion.

The book had lost his interest next to the fascination that was Harold's strange rants. He never knew what was going through the genius's head when he let out his outbursts. They were something that he guarded closely though.

There was only one real way John knew would work to keep the hacker away. He didn't like using it but desperate times and all that.

"Can you hear me?" John called out softly.

…:YES:

"Good. Make sure Root stays away until Harold is aware again."

…:ACKNOWLEDGE:

A quick text to Shaw was all he needed to do to stop her from coming. Shaw understood orders. Even with her blind obedience, Root still struggled with working in a team without trying to dominate it.

With all that, Harold was as safe as John could make him and that was what was important.

"Tell Nathen to go through with the merger."

John smiled softly down at his dear friend. There was nothing he wouldn't do for the man.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Of course I want crème."

Harold settled down for the most part, seeming to drift in and out of sleep. John didn't think he full REM but what he got appeared to be very restful. Harold could certainly use it. He did far too much to try and protect all of them. It wasn't right. It should be HIS job to protect them, not Harold's. He hated having Harold in so much danger. He wanted to kill every single person out there hunting them who knew his face. He wanted to wipe them all out. It was only Harold's will that held him back.

All of a sudden, his phone started vibrating a text alert jarring him out of his dark thought.

' _I want the dog -Shaw_ '

' _Where are you? -JR_ '

' _Outside, NOT breaking ur rules -Shaw_ '

' _B right up -JR_ '

John gathered Bear's leash and called him over. Bear whined not wanting to leave Harold alone but came right over. John could understand the sentiment. He didn't want to leave Harold by himself for the few minutes he would be gone, but he didn't want Shaw to see him like that more.

"Harold? I'm just taking Bear to Shaw outside. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." John told him.

"Not the merlot." Was Harold's reply as he turned to snuggle deeper into the blanket.

John quickly made his way to the subway's entrance with Bear. Shaw was waiting still dressed up in her day job attire. She was clearly annoyed with him as he handed her the leash.

"I took him out earlier but he could probably use a good run later." John told her as a greeting.

"Great. So why am I being exiled." Shaw's tone left no room for evasion. She didn't take well to being kept out of the loop. It was a sore spot for her.

"Harold took Dilaudid." Was all John said.

That was more than enough of an answer for the former operative. Shaw was the same as John. She sought out enough information to understand the situation but details were unnecessary. It was only when they were denied needed intel that things usually blew up in other people's faces.

"Got it." She said in the same steady monotone "Make sure he drinks a lot of water when he comes out of it, and try to get him to eat. If he's nauseated there's something for that in my kit. Call me if there are any complications."

"Will do Shaw, Thanks."

"I'm keeping the dog for the night. And possibly tomorrow. It's not good for him being left like that."

John smiled at Shaw's unique way of showing concern. She may not technically have the feelings for it, but her heart was the biggest of all of them.

"I have an idea or two to fix that, I just need to put it in play."

"Don't wait too long."

With that, Shaw took off with Bear at her side. Her spiked heels echoing off the concrete in a symphony with Bear's claws. John could honestly say he was glad that Shaw decided to stick around with them. It was rough going at first as she was figuring out her place but there was no denying that she was a real asset to the team.

John hurried back down to Harold's side. In the short time he was gone Harold had become restless, throwing his blanket off and struggling blindly to get up. John rushed over and gently pushed him back down with Harold fighting him the whole way.

"Come on Harold, back in bed with you." John soothed.

"I have to find John!" Harold panted in panic.

"I'm right here."

"I have to…"

John grabbed Harold's hands and pressed them to his face letting them touch him. He leaned forward enough so that Harold could see him without his glasses. It was an extremely uncomfortable position to be in, leaning half twisted over Harold as the man stroked and petted his face and hair. It was working though; Harold was slowly calming down.

"I thought I lost you." Harold whispered.

"You found me."

They stayed like that for who knows how long, with Harold touching every part of him he could reach and John whispering whatever assurances Harold needed until Harold finally fell completely asleep. His grip shifting from John's face to around one of his hands. John spent the rest the evening and into the night sitting on the edge of the cot, a silent guard as his friend slept.


End file.
